Building permits continue mini-boom in DeSoto County

Aug. 6, 2013 — In Mitchell’s Corner subdivision near Olive Branch, Steve Reeves (right), with Keith and David Grant Homes, checks the progress of a presold home under construction with Mike Ward. As site superintendent, Reeves oversees work on multiple new homes in two DeSoto County subdivisions. (Stan Carroll/The Commercial Appeal)

Aug. 6, 2013 — Willie Prokop, with Cordova Heating and Air, carries a few of his tools into a new home under construction in Mitchell’s Corner subdivision near Olive Branch. DeSoto County planners say single-family building permits continued an upward track in July. (Stan Carroll/The Commercial Appeal)

Single-family building permits issued in July continued a brisk track upward in a hopeful sign for the DeSoto economy, county planners said.

Meanwhile, opponents of a proposed 300-foot-tall c-spire cell tower near their western DeSoto County homes placed high hopes in a pledge by company officials to consider an alternate site near a fire station and not "force" anything on residents.

"People in the housing industry are still cautious about saying there's an upward trend, but we've seen more people coming in for permits, more permits for subdivisions, so things appear to be improving," said Tom Haysley, deputy to DeSoto planning director Ted Garrod.

Across the county for July, there were 91 single-family permits, up 13 from 78 in June for a 34 percent month-to-month increase, and up 27 from 64 in July 2012 for a 41 percent hike over the year-ago figure, said Haysley. There were no multifamily permits issued in July and just two mobile home permits.

Total permit activity for 2013 to date comes in at 520, a hefty 20 percent increase over the 435 reported for the year-ago period.

"The market certainly hasn't rebounded to pre-recession levels, but we're heading in the right direction, on track to beat 2012's year-end figure of 730 after the lows of the previous years," said Supervisor Mark Gardner, board president and a Southaven Realtor. In 2007, 1,687 single-family permits were recorded as the recession hit and the housing market reeled; permit activity bottomed at 454 in 2010 and 456 in 2011.

"We're seeing an increase in traffic within our model homes for sale; there's been a slow, gradual climb since the second quarter of 2012," said builder David Grant, owner of Collierville-based Keith and David Grant Homes. He said he's cautiously optimistic and busy "with about 40 percent of our homes in DeSoto County."

The planning officials reported to the county Board of Supervisors this week on permit activity and the status of an appeal of the Board of Adjustment's approval of a conditional use sought by c-spire for the cell tower.

Garrod asked for and received a six-month continuation, to Feb. 18, 2014, of a public hearing by the county supervisors on an appeal by Fred Smith, a western DeSoto County resident who says a tower near his property would impair values and pose health risks. The extra time will allow c-spire to consider an alternate site and has Smith's endorsement, said the county planning chief.

C-spire's original application seeks to to erect a tower on the west side of Horn Lake Road and south of Nesbit Road. Terrell Knight, Ridgeland, Miss.-based director of government issues for c-spire, said the company is studying another site near the Nesbit fire station about a mile northeast, close to Tulane Road.

"We're not going to force anything down the residents' throats," said Knight.

He said the location under review is lower than the original, and a taller tower may be necessary: "It would cost us more money but we think it's the right thing to do." Work ahead includes soil sampling, reviewing the lot size and study by engineers.

"Our constituents really appreciate that you're willing to consider the alternatives," Supervisor Lee Caldwell of Nesbit told Knight. Caldwell also is a proponent of plugging service gaps in broadband and cell service in DeSoto County.

In other planning and infrastructure matters, Garrod and Haysley said a blueprint final draft, almost three years in the making, to guide development along the future Interstate 69 International Trade Corridor through DeSoto County is ready for presentation. Project consultants from the Cincinnati-based McBride Dale Clarion firm will oversee the program at a public meeting to be slated soon with the supervisors and the Planning Commission, which acted as steering committee on the study.

In a boost for recreation development, the supervisors agreed to accept more than 40 acres, including a lake, for a future Lewisburg park, contingent on a final mowing by the property holder, CB&S Bank. The land is adjacent to the Hawks Crossing subdivision and "the potential is unreal," said Supervisor Harvey Lee of Hernando.

The park would be overseen by the county's new Recreational District Commission chaired by Ray Laughter, DeSoto Environmental Services manager.